Lose a Battle, Win the War
by AviFrogman
Summary: Batman and Wonder Woman agree to spar, although the rules are a little different than normal - and there's more at stake than Batman realizes.


Disclaimer: I don't own Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, or any of the Justice League. Please don't sue!

This grew out of my personal experiences in training in various martial arts, and the ancient technique of absorbing a loss in order to secure ultimate victory.

I was also inspired by many of the stories I've read of Batman sparring with Wonder Woman. I've tried to make the techniques easy to visualize, though I apologize if they are not!

This is my first time writing from Wonder Woman's perspective. Not sure how I did, please let me know your honest opinions.

* * *

Lose a Battle, Win the War

"No weapons or powers."

"Feeling a little…insecure, little man?" I teased, by heartbeat rising slightly.

"No. It'll be over sooner, and I can get back to more important work." He said it so smugly, I began to see through a red haze.

No, I needed to control myself. Breathe. Empty my mind. He wanted me to get riled up – it'll make it easier for him to defeat me. And Batman was a _master_ at riling me up. Damn him to Hades.

"I don't _want_ you to hold back. I want this to be 'no holds barred.' Those are the only rules – no powers, no weapons. Oh, one more rule…"

"I agree so far," Batman answered warily, "but what's the last rule?"

"The winner grants the loser their desire."

"The winner grants the loser…wait. The _winner_ grants the _loser_ their desire?" For once, he seemed unsure of himself. I smiled inwardly. I've managed to turn the tables on him – and _that_ will prove an advantage. Hera knows that in hand to hand combat, any advantage is a good one against Batman. And this was more than just simple sparring.

"Yes," I answered sweetly, and simply. "And I also expect you not to hold back. I want you to fight as though your life depended on it." _Because, in a way, it does._

He paused. Although I had gotten used to the white lenses in his cowl, it was still unnerving to stand there and wait until he answered. I was determined to wait him out.

"Agreed" was all he said before launching himself at me.

_Gods, this man is fast._ His gauntleted fist blurred in front of my eyes as I slipped the punch; I tried to trap his arm and counter with a hook, but he had already stepped just out of my reach. The advantage was his – he would see my attack before it reached him, giving him ample time to counter. Attacking between the beats; disrupting the opponent during their move; this was classic Jeet Kune Do – The Way of the Intercepting Fist.

I stepped slightly back and used my legs to my advantage, lashing out with a powerful front kick, spun on the ball of my foot with a roundhouse kick, and continued the spin for a mule kick...And then I felt his boot on my rear and he _pushed_ me off balance. Falling forward, I rolled and came up with fire in my eyes – and saw his smirk. _Damn this man to Hades_. He was playing with me, trying to incite my temper. _Not this time…_

"Interesting technique, Bruce…I think, though, that you would have enjoyed putting a different…body part…there instead?"

For one instance, he froze at my audacity. It gave me the split second I needed to close the distance and launch a jab at his head. His reflexes were too sharp though – his arm came up and deflected the jab. My jabbing hand swept down his blocking arm, re-exposing his face, and I followed up with a cross…he slipped and spun around, attempting to backfist me. It was my turn to block, and we pushed at one another, harder and stronger. Neither of us budged.

With his body slightly turned to me, it was time for a little payback…reaching out with my other hand, I swatted his backside with my free hand. Hearing the Batman let out a startled yelp is gratifying in so many ways, even if he muffled it quickly. Chagrined, he turned to me, and stepped away again.

I snickered. This seemed to deepen his embarrassment.

"My, my, Mr. Wayne…the women in the League were right. You _do_ have the best backside!"

His eyes narrowed. I was enjoying getting under his skin. Payback was only fair for all the times he's done it to me, intentional or not.

I stepped with one leg to the side into a long, wide, and open side stance – a vulnerable stance, but one that showed off my legs. Again, he seemed slightly off balance. We had never sparred like this before.

His indecision gone, he launched himself at me again. This time I saw it coming, and he fell into my trap perfectly. Spinning on the ball of my foot, I grabbed his arm and twisted him in an Aikido throw. He rolled out of it smoothly and, one handspring later he was back on his feet and attacking me.

The next minutes were a blur of silver bracelets, gloves, hard Kevlar, and powerful muscles in battle. His spinning heel kick split my lower lip. A sharp elbow cut across his cheek. A hammer fist to my ribs knocked the wind out of me. My axe kick to his clavicle numbed his shoulder. Neither of us yielded for an instant.

I changed tactics and fall back on the Greek wresting I was taught as a child and brought my body close to his – too close for kicks and punches, too close for knees and elbows. My lips were inches from his, hot breath intermingling. He strained to twist my wrist and get me into a wristlock when I reached forward and licked his lips.

The sharp intake of breath and momentary slackening of his muscles was the opening I needed. I leaped into him, wrapped my legs around him; using my forward momentum I twisted and fell, pulling him on top of me. The sudden shock to my back was jarring, but now I was in control, in the jiu-jitsu guard position. I tried not to think of what it meant, having him between my legs, and focused on locking my ankles behind him, out of reach of his prying fingers. On my back in this position, I was in control – using my strong legs, I could direct Batman's movements and his body position.

No stranger to jiu-jitsu, Bruce attempted to break the hold. He grabbed at my ankles but couldn't quite reach; he tried to dig his thumbs into the nerve clusters of my thigh, but I countered that by jabbing my rigid fingers at his eyes. Even with all the years of training, even wearing the cowl, he couldn't quite override human instinct and jerked back. He looked down at me, took a deep breath; I tensed for an attack, but he surprised me:

"Enjoying yourself, Princess?"

"Hardly. I've had tougher sparring sessions with others in the League."

"I see. Perhaps I should try…_harder._"

_What does he mean…oh, Hera._ He surprised me _again _by sliding down until his body was covering mine and pressed his length against me. I struggled mentally to keep my focus; to turn the tables again, I ground my hips against his, and in my best sultry voice I purred…

"Bruce, this won't work. I've been in this position before. Many times."

"_Really…?_" He breathes into my ear. I suppress an involuntary shiver. "When was the last time?"

"Mmh…yesterday…with Kal."

I _knew_ that was a dangerous thing to say. He _hated_ when I referred to Clark that way. And the implication of what I just said...one of his only real insecurities, but I got the reaction I hoped for. He hissed in anger, and reared his right fist back and threw a punch at my face.

Just what I was hoping for.

It never landed. Bucking my hips, I pushed him up, so that his chest was over my face. I redirected his right fist next to my right ear; my right arm snaked over his neck and grasped my left hand. In effect, I now held him in a triangle choke hold, his own head trapped against his shoulder, cutting off his air. I began squeezing. Slowly, surely, I heard the air escape his lungs. Victory was nearly mine…

Then I felt his hand. His bare hand, on the back of my leg. How had he removed his gauntlet? And what was he doing with his hand??

Gods, he was rubbing the back of my thigh, gently squeezing and stroking a very sensitive spot…one of the few spots he could reach with his free hand. He trailed a line of fire up and down my leg until I wanted to scream. I bit my lip and squeezed his neck harder in retaliation.

"Had…enough…Princess?" he wheezed out. I could _still_ hear the little note of triumph in his voice. _Bastard_.

"Not at all, Bruce…" I purred. "Although, I have to say…I've had better."

_Ow._ The caressing turned into a painful squeeze. I couldn't prevent the chuckle at the low blow. So like him…do anything to distract, to win. Only, there was nothing he could do this time. Against a less experience foe, he would have managed to work an escape, but these grappling techniques were as natural as breathing for me.

His breathing grew more ragged. I continued to squeeze, knowing he would never consciously yield. A few more seconds of this, and he would pass out. I was sure of it. And I was right. His body became less rigid, his breathing slowed some more, and he finally, slowly, slumped against me.

I had beaten Batman. And I didn't use my strength, speed, power of flight, or the lasso.

I slowly released my hold on him…and the _bastard_ sprang to life on me, quickly grabbing my now free leg and twisting me around. My legs were bent so that he secured my ankles against the back of my thighs, allowing me little leverage. His knee was on my back, and he didn't hesitate to press his weight into my vertebrae. One of my arms was trapped underneath me, the other was twisted behind my back. Painfully.

_Stupid, stupid, Diana…once again, you underestimated him. Patiently playing possum. Now, he has you_.

"Give up, Princess?" His harsh voice grates in my ear. Harsher than usual; I _must_ have gotten to him this time. I smirked.

"Never."

With a sharp crack of his elbow to the back of my neck, my vision went dark and I saw no more.

* * *

I woke up in my quarters lying on my bed. Surprised, I saw Bruce in the seat next to me, cape and cowl off, gently tending to my sore lip. Though it hurt, I smiled, seeing the pain he's in when moving. Pain caused by my strikes and holds. Yet here he was, in worse shape than I was, moving stiffly to help me with a mild injury which would heal shortly on its own. _The man is a contradiction. Pushing me away yet always trying to save me._

"You lost."

Of course, he would bring that up first. Infuriating man. More often than not, our sparring sessions ended in uncertain draws. I was the only League member who could successfully challenge his martial prowess. Sometimes I won; today, the battle went to him.

However, I was ready to lose a battle to win the war.

"I did." Gods, it was difficult to admit that, regardless of circumstances.

"So tell me."

"Tell you what?" I answered.

"You know." His voice became lower, more menacing.

"No, I don't know, Bruce – why don't you elaborate?"

"You lost. Our bargain was for the _winner_ to grant the _loser_ their desire. What is it?" I could feel the uncertainty radiate from him. For a man who controlled his thoughts, actions, and emotions as completely as he did, this must have been difficult. And yet, he was a man of honor, a man of his word. He would grant me whatever I desired.

"Let me go."

"I'm not keeping you here, Princess. These are your quarters."

"Bruce, don't play dumb. You know what I mean.

"For the longest time we've danced around one another. On the one hand, you enumerate for me reasons we can't be together. On the other, you go to drastic measures to ensure my safety. I know you care for me, but I also know that you're afraid that allowing yourself happiness will destroy your drive to bring peace and justice to Gotham.

"I will no longer try to convince you that exploring a relationship with me is not diametrically opposed to your mission. I share your mission, though I pursue it in different means.

"I can give you examples of others who strike from the shadows yet carry light in their heart, but will that make a difference?

"I cannot assure you that nothing will happen to me, nor can you promise me the same about you. We live in a dangerous world and we are surrounded by enemies. Either of us can be struck down at any moment in the heat of battle. I will not promise to always be there, and nothing less would satisfy your need for assurance and control.

"So, yes, Bruce, I'm asking for you to let me go. Treat me as a friend, as a respected colleague, but no more games. No more hints or casual flirtations. For the first time in my life, as a warrior, I concede defeat. I withdraw from this battle.

"Let me go."

The words hung in the air between us for long minutes. Bruce had regained control of himself and looked at me impassively. I could not read a hint of emotion in his piercing blue eyes.

_Damn him. This isn't what I had expected. Today, he is twice the victor, though I feel that forever we have both lost._

He finally stood and fastened the cape and cowl. There was my answer. I sat up and turned my face away, staring out at the planet below us. I barely caught his reflection as he began walking slowly to the panel that would open the door – and lead him out of my heart permanently.

"Princess…"

His hand hovered over the panel.

"Diana…"

The door never opened.

* * *

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